


Rituals

by Starlightify



Series: repairing the world [14]
Category: DCU
Genre: ADHD, Autism, Gen, Team Bonding, Team Dynamics, Trans Character, neurodivergent character, the justice league of millenials
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-17
Updated: 2016-09-17
Packaged: 2018-08-15 13:07:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8057617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starlightify/pseuds/Starlightify
Summary: There is more to building a team than sparring together and sharing a floating space-base. For example, movie nights.





	Rituals

**Author's Note:**

> DC: The Justice League members distrust each other and fight a lot! Isn't this a dark and gritty deconstruction of the typical team dynamic?
> 
> Me: *having Diana and Dinah make friendship bracelets* what

“Green Lantern. I would speak with you, if you have time.”

John’s first instinct is to say ‘I didn’t do it.’ He manages not to say that. Barely. Instead, he says, “How can I help you, Wonder Woman?”

“I wish to know of your world’s team bonding exercises,” Diana says.

“Bonding,” John repeats.

“Yes. To strengthen camaraderie. On Themyscira, warriors sleep together, bathe together, and take meals together in addition to training together. But this is not feasible for the League. What activities are performed in your world that facilitate bonding between many people?”

“Uh.” John is trying not to think about the League bathing together. John is not doing well. “Well, there’s. Card and board games. But I think those have as much potential to make people enemies as it would to enhance bonding.”

“Hm. I will keep this idea in reserve. Do you have other suggestions?”

John thinks back to his college days. ‘Beer pong’ is probably not an option, though the possibility of seeing Batman get wasted almost makes him suggest it. ‘Competetive Jenga’ is probably not appealing to people who aren’t in engineering or architecture Bachelor’s degree programs, and also carries the same risks as card and board games. Which leaves…

“Movie nights?”

“Tell me more,” Diana says.

“You get a bunch of people together, and pick out a movie. Either the group picks it out together by committee, or a different person is responsible for picking the movie each night.” John considers how to best explain the reasoning behind movie nights and the effects on group dynamics to someone from a magic island. “It allows people to share stories that they enjoy, and to come together in… a relatively low-stress environment.”

“Hm.” Diana strokes her chin thoughtfully. “This ‘movie night’. Do you think the other members of the League would be amenable to it?”

“I dunno. It doesn’t really seem fair to J’onn – or Shayera, maybe. I don’t know that they know many movies. Do you know many movies?” John asks. He never knows what Diana does and doesn’t know about their world. He suspects this is deliberate on her part.

“I can learn,” Diana says, which doesn’t really answer his question. “And I will check with them before I raise the possibility with the rest of the League. My thanks, Green Lantern.”

John hopes that he hasn’t just made a terrible mistake. “Not a problem.”

~x~

Diana surveys the monitor room. Holding ‘Movie Night’ here means that no one will be excluded because of monitor duty. They can all observe the screens that give constant readouts on Earth events and the conditions of the solar system while also enjoying a film. Diana has also procured great quantities of ‘popcorn’ and other snacks, which Flash assured her were most necessary for proper bonding, and many different kinds of seating. Batman, meanwhile, set up a large screen with a connection to ‘Netflix,’ a repository of many films.

Diana is learning much of Man’s World through her interactions with the League.

Flash is the first to arrive, which is not as common an occurrence as his powerset might suggest. “Dibs,” he says, snatching a bucket of popcorn labeled ‘White Cheddar’. “Dibs,” he says, hopping over the back of one of the couches and sprawling out. “Dibs,” he says, reaching for the remote.

A black-gloved hand descends on the electronic device. “No,” says Batman.

“Okay,” says Flash.

Black Canary is the third to arrive. “Mine,” she says, grabbing three bags of gummy worms and a can of soda. She vaults over the back of one of the other couches and lays down, propping her feet up on one couch arm and resting her head on the other. She has replaced her usual black boots with brightly colored tennis shoes. The rest of her attire is exactly the same – black domino mask, black motorcycle armor, black pants and turtleneck beneath. It is a peculiar effect. Diana finds it endearing, though a little disorienting.

Speaking of disorienting, will every League member expect to occupy a single couch by themselves? Diana did not plan for this.

Batman is still standing, hovering over the remote. Flash is more than capable of taking the remote from him, but is making no attempt to do so. Diana has noticed that the superpowered heroes of Earth seem to hold a great deal of respect for both Batman, who has no superhuman abilities, and Black Canary, who does not use her superhuman abilities in combat. It is a fascinating phenomenon. She would ask about it, but it seems to be an instinctual deferral rather than a deliberate one. Drawing attention to it might just make them self-conscious.

When Green Lantern arrives, he does not immediately try to claim snacks and a sitting place. He instead sidles up to Diana. “This might have been a bad idea,” he says. He is shifting, rubbing his fingers against each other. This is a tell that he is nervous. Diana thinks that perhaps he is nervous because he expects to shoulder blame should the evening not progress as hoped.

“I do not believe it was,” Diana says. “Regardless of the outcome of this night, you put forth this idea in good will. I am grateful to you, Green Lantern.” She tilts her head. “Will your associate Green Lantern be coming tonight? I extended an invitation, but I know that often only one of you can be present in this solar system at one time.”

“He’s coming.” Green Lantern pauses. “We’re going to have to figure out something else for everyone to call us. If we’re both ‘Green Lantern,’ it could get confusing.”

Diana considers this. She will not ask them to share civilian names – what is an easily identifiable and socially appropriate aspect on which to differentiate them? Perhaps their costume choices…“Green Lantern and Gloved Green Lantern?”

Green Lantern pursues his lips. “Seems lengthy.”

“Gee El and Gee Two El?” Flash yells from his couch.

“What are we yelling about?” Superman says, a rush of displaced air trailing in the wake of his arrival. “Ooh, snacks!” He promptly abandons the conversation in favor of food.

“I suggest Superior Green Lantern and Inferior Green Lantern,” Shayera says from directly behind Diana and Green Lantern. Green Lantern jumps. Diana does not.

“Which is which?” Black Canary asks.

“They must duel to determine that,” Shayera says.

“No,” say Green Lantern and Batman simultaneously.

Shayera stalks over to the snacks, feathers puffed. “You’re no fun,” she says.

J’onn phases down from the ceiling. “What is the protocol for a gathering of this kind?” they ask. “I have done research, but accounts are… varied.”

“Get food, take a seat, watch a movie, comment loudly,” Black Canary says. Flash makes a noise of agreement. Superman gives a thumbs-up, then returns his attention to the tower of snacks he is constructing.

“Whether or not to make comments seemed one of the most contentious points on how to participate in a movie night,” J’onn says. “In addition to whether or not it is appropriate to ‘hook up.’”

Superman almost drops his snack tower.

“Hook up on your own time,” Batman says.

J’onn nods. “Noted.” They drift over to the snack table.

Black Canary mutters something that sounds like “Spoilsport.” Diana is unsure of what sport she is referring to. She can figure it out later.

“Heyyyy!” Gloved Green Lantern enters the room with his arms spread wide. “Let’s get this party started!”

Batman manages to convey the impression of a withering glare despite the cowl.

“So what’re we watching?” Gloved Green Lantern asks, seemingly unaffected by Batman’s… Batman-ness.

“Uh,” Green Lantern says.

“Hm,” Black Canary says.

“Did we decide that?” Superman asks. He’s floating crosslegged in midair above a plush armchair.

“Is it not usually determined by committee? Or a single individual?” Diana asks.

“Yeah. That’s standard,” Gloved Green Lantern says. “But who’s picking tonight?”

“Dibs!” Flash says, reaching for the remote.

Batman snatches it away. “No.”

“Okay, then we vote. I vote Space Jam!” Flash says.

“I second the vote!” Gloved Green Lantern says.

“Third!” says Black Canary.

“I’ve never seen Space Jam,” Superman says thoughtfully. “I guess now’s as good a time as any.”

“What is this Space Jam?” Shayera says.

“An experience,” Batman deadpans.

“I would like to experience this,” Diana says. “If there are no objections, it is decided.”

~x~

“I find this depiction of Martians strange,” J’onn says.

~x~

“Basketball would be greatly improved by the addition of blunt weapons,” Shayera says.

“You think everything would be improved by the addition of blunt weapons,” Green Lantern says.

“No. Some things would be improved by the addition of sharp weapons.”

~x~

“I wish I could basketball all my rogues into submission,” Superman says wistfully. There are murmured agreements.

~x~

The second movie night, Gloved Green Lantern is on patrol. He said to go on without him. Clark thinks this is a very noble sacrifice.

“Are we doing a vote again this time?” Black Canary asks.

“I think we should switch to the other way,” Green Lantern says. “Let everyone show us the kinds of movies they like, instead of sticking with the stuff most of us already know.”

“I like this plan,” J’onn says. “It will give us a well-rounded selection.”

“I like this plan also,” Diana says.

“Same,” Clark says. “Who’s picking tonight?”

“Dibs!” Flash says. Everyone looks at Bruce. Bruce shrugs.

“Yes!” Flash says. “Okay, let’s see…” He blurs through the movie selections before settling on…

“You’re kidding,” Green Lantern says.

“Absolutely dead serious,” Flash says. “This is a cinematic masterpiece.”

This is another movie Clark has never seen. But he knows enough about ‘The Room’ to know that it, too, will be an experience.

~x~

“Is this… a typical human relationship?” Shayera asks, both horrified and intrigued.

“No.”

~x~

“Um.”

~x~

Clark is almost one hundred percent sure that he just heard Bruce say “You’re tearing me apart, Lisa,” in perfect sync with the film.

~x~

“I think I am fond of these animated films,” J’onn tells Superman after he picks a film called ‘Spirited Away’ for movie night. “Do you have further recommendations?”

Superman lights up, both in the euphemistic and the literal sense. “Gosh! Sure, yeah, I’ll make you a list. Don’t feel limited to my suggestions, okay, there’s a whole world of animated film out there. Animated films of every genre. Did you like the tone of this one, or?”

J’onn considers. “I liked the smoothness of the action, as well as the relationships of the cast.”

“Okay, so definitely try ‘Wolf Children’ – I cried at that one, but it’s a good cry. And maybe ‘Anastasia’? And…”

J’onn ends up with a handwritten list and the promise of an e-mail with more suggestions.

They spend several days watching through Superman’s recommended films and exploring other films for themselves. This is what is known as a ‘binge watch’. J’onn thinks this is an enjoyable way to spend time, though probably not something to make a habit of.

J’onn is probably going to make a habit of it.

~x~

“I cannot believe,” Black Canary says, with great disdain, “that you put _cinnamon_ on your _popcorn_.”

“I don’t give you shit for liking fake butter,” John replies, and shoves a larger-than-advisable quantity of popcorn into his mouth.

~x~

Dinah has been waiting very patiently for it to be Batman’s turn to select a movie. She knows she’s not alone. They’re all unreasonably curious about the Batman of Gotham, who is somehow no less mysterious and intimidating when he’s crouched on a chair eating popcorn. That takes skill.

It’s almost anticlimactic when he picks a black-and-white period piece that Flash falls asleep halfway through. But it does add a new layer to the mystery. Either Batman is a very complex, multifaceted guy who enjoys both old movies and dressing up like a bat and beating the hell out of criminals, or he’s deliberately making the things he does confusing and seemingly contradictory. It may be both. It’s probably both.

Dinah, for her part, has no intention of using her chance to pick a movie to be mysterious. She is of the opinion that someone who wears as much black body armor as she does doesn’t need to try to be mysterious. Apparently Batman doesn’t agree with her, but that’s his deal.

“I think you’re going to like this one,” Dinah tells Diana as she selects ‘But I’m a Cheerleader.’

~x~

Diana picks a movie that is supposedly based on Greek legend.

It is disappointing.

She much preferred the movie about the cheerleader.

~x~

“Are there more singing movies?” Shayera asks Green Lantern after his first turn picking a movie.

“Sure,” he says. “They’re called musicals, usually. You want some recommendations?”

“Yes,” she says. “I would like many recommendations. It will be my turn soon, and these musicals are the most enjoyable variety of movie I have found so far.”

Green Lantern nods. He has a very interesting facial structure. Shayera finds it appealing. “Sure thing. I’ll send you some stuff.”

When it is Shayera’s turn to pick a movie, she picks ‘Chicago.’

~x~

“G2L, you can’t pick ‘Top Gun’ again.”

~x~

When it’s Bruce’s turn to pick a movie again, he picks ‘The Descent.’

It doesn’t take long for Clark to figure out that he’s not going to be sleeping. Probably ever again. He’s torn between hovering off the chair so he doesn’t accidentally grip it too hard and break it, or staying firmly grounded to reduce the chances of him rocketing through the ceiling during a jump scare. Either one of those things would not be good. He is not going to interrupt Bruce’s movie.

He does wind up crunching himself into a gradually smaller and smaller ball, wrapping his cape up around his knees and holding it tight like a shield.

He also cries.

A lot.

But silently, because he doesn’t want to interrupt.

However, there’s no way to make himself presentable before the lights come back on, and Clark is a messy crier. Green Lantern is the first to notice.

“Are you okay, Superman?” he asks, and eight heads turn Clark’s way.

He wishes that he could just drop straight through the floor like J’onn. That would be great.

“Holy shit,” Flash says, turning to Bruce. “You made Superman cry.”

~x~

“Wait, shit. I just got it. Black _Canary_ likes gummy _worms_.” 

**Author's Note:**

> COME ON AND SLAM, AND WELCOME TO THE JAM


End file.
